• Road America is a 4.1-mile motorsport road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
• The track has hosted several notable racing series, including IndyCar, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, NASCAR, and more.
• Fresh pavement means speeds, and the track action that comes with it will be at an all-time high.
• With six rounds left in the season, Dai looks to climb the leaderboard to put a stamp on his inaugural SRO effort.
• Thanks to Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT), you have a chance to win either a pair of spectator tickets to the race weekend at VIR or a Dai team windbreaker.

Summer break was productive for the Victor Gonzalez Racing Team and Dai Yoshihara all the same, knowing that the next venue on the calendar, Road America, would be an immense challenge. Like most of the tracks featured in the TC America championship, this one would be new to Dai and he’s used summer break as an opportunity to put in some valuable simulator hours to learn everything he can about the infamous circuit.

THE ROAD AHEAD

The overall vision of Road America came from a highway engineer named Clif Tufte who chose 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland outside the Village of Elkhart Lake for the track. The natural topography of the glacial Kettle Moraine area helped dictate the iconic elevation changes of the track, sweeping around rolling hills and plunging through ravines. At 4.048 miles in length, with 14 turns, the track is virtually the same today as it was when it opened in 1955; it’s been lauded by many drivers and visitors as an incredible spectacle of speed and one of the most challenging road courses in the United States.

The opportunity to race here is an incredible honor and Dai and the Pit+Paddock Civic Type R TCX are keen to make a strong impression. “Like most of the tracks, Road America is new to me,” confessed Dai. “I’ve been watching a lot of track videos and putting in work on the simulator when I can. Knowing that the track has recently been repaved, it’s going to be fast.” The weekend will mean something a bit extra as it is the namesake circuit of one of his TC America sponsors, Turn 14 Distribution.

TEMPS STILL HIGH

The Midwest summer heat is lingering, which means temperature remains a top concern here for every team on the grid. It’s an extra variable that needs to be respected, on top of getting to grips with a track layout that promises massive speed and plenty of track action. The teams will have to work out favorable tire pressures and aero balance during Friday practice to ensure they have the right setup for qualifying and both Saturday and Sunday contests.

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

For local Road America fans or die-hard SRO followers who want to see the race in person, we have an opportunity of our own. Thanks to Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT), a supporting partner of Dai’s campaign, we are giving away a pair of spectator tickets for the entire weekend. A lightweight Dai team windbreaker is also up for grabs to celebrate our motorsport driver’s first year in the series.

To win either prize, follow @pitandpaddock, @daiyoshihara, and @advancedclutch on Instagram, like this post, and tag a friend as many times as you’d like in the comments for a chance to win. Winners will be notified Wednesday, 8/15 on Instagram. Be sure to set your calendars so you don’t miss a moment of the race weekend.

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